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Published 8th Feb 2009 Posted by admin |
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It has set some goals, you feel ambitious, and you promised yourself that you are going to move forward. That is determined to make this year better than the last. And, hopefully, it works that way. But you saw the reality, too. Despite a plan and good intentions, most people are off course in March. Imagine if you could discover the cause, stay the course, and get what you really want. The answer is to have a solid starting point … a strategic plan that really works. Each year, we meet thousands of decision makers around the country consulting and speaking work. Like you, they are intelligent, ambitious, and they are doing a decent job. However, they are also often frustrated they are not doing better. When the item to break them, we find that few if any of them have a good strategic plan that can work. In fact, most of them do not even know how to create one. The following is a mini-lesson in strategic planning. We do not have much space, but here are some important things to know when creating a master plan. 1. Know the difference between strategy and tactics. Strategy is the plan that defines where you’re going. Tactics are the things that make and use to reach the destination. Sounds simple, right? You probably already know, right? Take a closer look at any list of targets, you will find that many of these objectives are tactical. This is why most New Year resolutions and goals of the company outside of the track in March. 2. Be specific. A few words can make a difference in the direction of your company, and the tactics used to implement a strategy. Vague statement: We will improve customer service response time. 3. The process of aging. Like great wine, the development of a strategic plan takes time. A strategic plan is not built for a weekend retreat! Evolving thinking, research, information and experiences. Spend time developing a real strategy that is right for your organization. Not having a strategy is difficult in a company. But with the wrong strategy because it only showed a whole, can be disastrous. On the other side, do not let the calendar keep you from doing something at least. It is better to have some sort of plan to follow, although not exactly what you want it to be today. 4. Keep it simple. Can still be great without you through the factory. Use the A-B-C approach A. Establish what you want to achieve STRATEGY. 5. Follow the plan. Most plans are developed and then put on a shelf. When (or if) they are out of the finals to be adopted for the reference platform, which usually have to blow the dust off of them. Not good. The address is guiltiest of not following the plan. A CEO must be able to clear off your desk and follow the daily plan, if the plan is complete. He should not think that is for everyone but himself. Think about the strategic plan as the roadmap for you and your organization to use the intention to continue its journey. If you are driving from California to New York, used a map of some sort. You refer to it to make sure you took all the turns and exits you need to follow the right road, to avoid getting lost, and get where you want to be. The same map with the business. Using these tips alone, you should be able to develop a stronger strategic plan … one that will endure through the trials encountered unexpected throughout the year, too. We hope this year is one full of growth and success for you. Good luck. |
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Published 8th Feb 2009 Posted by admin |
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A strategic planning process is a structured process that organizes and coordinates the activities of managers engaged in planning. The sound of it seems a long boring meeting in the boardroom, with managers presenting plans that probably half of the room is sleeping. A strategic planning process is a fascinating exercise, and adrenaline is all! The process is a visionary journeys, both conceptual and managerial. That said, it must also be realistic and achievable too. The value of a strategic planning process is that it expresses and in-depth analysis of your business and strategic alternatives. It provides a sense of direction and calls for organizational commitments. Setting goals and focusing on them during the planning process makes the subconscious drivers of these objectives that guide the actions of the organization. Doing this in terms of a structured strategic planning process, means that they tend to steer their business in the right direction all the time, and this is done without thinking about it consciously. The result of the strategic planning process is a strategic plan, which serves several purposes. Firstly, it acts as a framework for decision making. Secondly, it provides a basis for more detailed planning. Thirdly, the company explains to others to inform, engage and motivate. Fourthly, assists in monitoring the implementation and evaluation of needs. Finally, it stimulates change and become a foundation for the next plan. A strategic plan is not a business plan. A business plan is a much more detailed plan, which has details of the micro and operational evaluation and implementation. |
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Published 8th Feb 2009 Posted by admin |
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Strategic Planning is recession proof? Strategic Planning is a road map to lead an organization or a single employer where they are now, where they would like to be in the future. Okay – but it is recession proof? The answer is emphatically yes! Strategic planning is a business tool, which if done well, can make your business essentially immune to economic cycles. The key part of that sentence is “if done well.” Strategic planning is essentially a method to predict the future. Strategy is the game plan to create their future – to win – despite resource constraints, or intense competition. Strategy: Maximizes reward, and minimizes the risk Think about this: In almost all industries today, there are two types of organizations. First, there are those, like Microsoft, Google and Dell that change the game, which is the “rules” for their benefit. Secondly, all the other organizations in industries that are to follow. Where the change of competition rules, and that will change, followers must do all we can to adapt, just to stay in business. They are, in a sense, on the defensive, and not to be particularly advantageous. The “game changers” have a significant advantage because, since he left the starting point before their competition, they get first crack at the market share and mind share. In short, when you make the rules, is easy to win the game. A major benefit of strategic planning is to help your company see the big picture, especially from a marketing point of view. By creating good strategic plans, you will be better able to understand the need for timely changes in its marketing approach and product mix. Strategic planning requires setting clear goals and objectives, and meet the goals and objectives in specified time frames. Why? – As I said before, the strategy is to predict the future, making assumptions about what is going to be, and make commitments based on those assumptions. If you predict the future is a mistake, all shares have the right punishment that continues to fail. There are ways to ensure that they do not guess so bad that jeopardize your business: 1) fully understand its market and business environment, and determine if any “market disturbances” are on the horizon. Strategic flexibility is the key. Want to be in a position where even if some of its assumptions are wrong (and will), your business remains viable. One way to create flexibility is to think like a chess champion. You need to master the concept of “Down Board Thinking”. Chess players world class not only think about their own movements, which looks down on board “and consider their opponents (competitions) possible responses to their moves, and plan a series of alternatives progresses. This kind of thinking if it is of special interest in creating your strategy, and managing and monitoring the implementation of its strategy. Another way is to have enough actions (tactics) happens almost simultaneously (in parallel), so that even if some of them are not as good as you expect, even thrive, because you have enough right actions happening. The real aim of the strategy then is to have a set of actions consistent with their view (s) of your desired future. Once in place these actions, systems, processes, metrics and exit plans (because all strategies end), you can begin to manage strategic uncertainty, overcome business cycles, and prepare your business to be that thrives, even in times of recession. |
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Published 7th Feb 2009 Posted by admin |
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Do it now or do more – with strategic planning, mission and vision is paramount. Suitable building blocks for strategic planning, whether for profit or nonprofit, begins with the mission and vision statements developed.
“There are no shortcuts to actions so important,” says Don Midgett, business consultant and author of Mission and Vision Statements: The Way to a successful business future. Paving the way the law provides precise guidance for the strategic and long-range planning and daily operations. ” In short, do it from scratch or do it later. Some examples of real world non-profit and nonprofit organizations using a vision-oriented approach to strategic planning are as follows. “I had been through other planning processes and inevitable only leads so far,” said Tim Logerquist, Director of the Association nonprofit Gold Coast Baptist Association in southern California. “As we continued the mission and vision that was able to adapt my mission and vision with strategies and actions that deliver results. This investment in time and effort to the front proved successful in the strategic planning process as we now have up strategies with real impact. ” “Visionary companies that set out goals that are directly related to their vision. They communicate the vision and the vision based on the objectives of their customers and employees” remains Midgett. “They come with the strategies and actions to achieve their goals and achieve its vision. It is in this sense that a profit or nonprofit organization or company can control its destiny in the market instead of letting external forces determine running a business. ” A pioneer in Internet consulting, Novo Solutions, Inc. in Virginia Beach, Virginia began with the initial mission and vision statements providing affordable, innovative business solutions to small and medium enterprises. Now in its sixth year, Novo has begun a process of restructuring its business focused on the newly revised mission and vision statements that called for changes in their strategic planning. “Using the model of the mission and vision statements as a basis it easier to frame our mission, our market defining products and understand the benefits of having a vision, based on the enterprise market,” said Anne Sych, Novo Manager Marketing. So much time and effort can be successfully used when organizations and companies see the value of its “homework” from the outset and based on sound plans and actions. So remember! Do not do more – do it now! Create your mission and vision of today. Begin to lay the foundation to the organization’s strategic plan and strategic planning process. |
